Ledgerwood to return for another season with FC Edmonton

So staying with FC Edmonton for at least another year seemed a natural fit for the recently-married Lethbridge product.

On Friday, FC Edmonton announced they had signed the Canadian midfielder through the 2017 season.

“It’s just building on what we’ve done this year,” Ledgerwood said. “There are definitely some positive things that we’ve done with the club and I’m happy to be here for another year afterwards.”

Ledgerwood, 31, started his professional career in Calgary before heading to Europe in 2003. He spent the majority of his time in Germany and last played with FC Energie Cottbus before returning to Alberta to play with FC Edmonton this season.

“Being an Alberta boy, I followed the team while I was overseas,” Ledgerwood said. “I guess you never know what you get into until you show up, but I’m definitely happy being here. The teammates are great, the coaching staff and the fans that bear the cold weather and come out and support us, they’ve been great. I’m happy being here.”

With Ledgerwood’s help, FC Edmonton are on the brink of qualifying for the North American Soccer League playoffs for the first time since the league went to a Spring and Fall Season format in 2013.

Edmonton host the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Sunday (2 p.m.) where a victory would clinch them a playoff berth.

“We know the quality that Nik brings to the whole organization,” said FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller. “To have him want to come back and stay with this professional club, I think speaks volumes to where we’re at. He’s been nothing but class since we’ve signed him. I go back a long ways with Nik, going back to the (Canadian) national teams and so on. I knew he would be a pivotal signing for us, in the change room as well as on the pitch and it’s been proven this season.”

Ledgerwood returned to Alberta with the intent of re-signing with Edmonton. He’s been an integral part of the club since his arrival and is also a key member of the Canadian men’s national team.

“I wasn’t going to come here, play for a year and then go someplace else,” Ledgerwood said. “I think once I had the mindset of coming back from Europe, I wanted to build a base here in Alberta, that was the mindset, especially starting a family.”

Ledgerwood’s next order of business is to help Edmonton qualify for the playoffs. He was suspended due to yellow card accumulation for Edmonton’s 2-1 victory against the Indy Eleven last weekend and will be well-rested for Sunday’s encounter.

“It’s big for us, I don’t think many people realized how big it is for the club to qualify for the playoffs and still have four games left,” he said. “I think if we go ahead and do our business on Sunday, then we’ll get a result.”

Along with clinching a playoff spot, a win could inch FC Edmonton closer to the New York Cosmos at the top of the NASL Fall Season standings. Edmonton has been in hot pursuit of the Cosmos all year.

“It’s huge for us, it’s huge for Edmonton soccer and Alberta soccer, a team that’s at the top of the NASL,” Ledgerwood said. “We’re sitting in second place right now. If people around Alberta could actually grasp what we’ve done this year alone, it’s huge. I think if we can just keep riding that and get a little bit more support and have the fans come out and build a big community around us we can keep going forward. This is just the beginning, I think there is definitely bright things in future.”

If Edmonton were able to catch the Cosmos, who they have already beaten twice this season, they would host a playoff game and possibly the NASL final.

Professional playoff soccer in November would be a first for the city and would give Edmonton a definitive advantage in the contest.

“I wouldn’t want to play here in November that’s for sure, especially if you were living in Florida the whole year,” Ledgerwood said. “It plays a role but we’re not looking much into it. We still have to go out there do our thing and play the game.”

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